Keystone Flyer June 2020 | Volume 62, Issue 06a Page

July 2020 Vol. 62, Issue 6a

Bring’n’Brag

Jan Anything goes Feb Motive Power: Diesel, Electric & Traction Mar Motive Power: Steam Apr Freight Cars May ** Quarantine Extra ** Jun Non-Revenue (incl. cabooses) Aug Passenger Cars Sep Vehicles Oct Structures Nov Prototype Photos

Submission Deadline for August Flyer: July 26, 2020

Division Meeting Schedule

July - Summer Recess—No Meeting …. … but another Bring-n-Brag Extra August 16 - Div. 2 Picnic, 12 noon - ?? Goehring Park, West Newton, PA TENTATIVE September 20 - Div. 2 Meeting, TBD

Get the Color Version of the Keystone Flyer as soon as it comes out and other Division 2 news flashes and announcements via email. Contact Susan Werner

swerner48@yahoo.com

KEYSTONE FLYER — SUMMER EXTRA

FreeMo Update / Greenberg Train Show

As noted in the June Flyer, the Greenberg Train Show scheduled for the July 25-26 weekend is set to go on, as planned, as the first of the organization’s events after the COVID lockdowns in various states. The changes and adaptations to the “normal” procedures they instituted in order to hold this event under the Covid-19 mitigation regulations are explained clearly and in great detail on the Greenberg Train Show website [trainshow.com], and I would urge you to read them there because if there are further changes or updates, that is where you are going to see them. Here are a few key changes from previous shows:

1. Venue remains the same (Monroeville Convention Center, 209 Mall Blvd., Monroeville, PA 15146), but the show runs from 9am to 4pm each day.

2. “Timed ticketing” — purchase your ticket online for a guaranteed particular entry time, during/after which you may enter the show. The prices of tickets are based on the time of the ticket, i.e. the earlier you go the more you would pay. Opening at 9am—an hour earlier than usual. So tickets cost from $14.95 (9am entry Saturday) to $5.95 (3pm entry Sat-urday), or $11.95 (9am entry Sunday) to $4.95 (3pm entry Sunday). At this writing, the Saturday 9am and Sunday 10am slots are sold out. Everyone must purchase a ticket, including children.

3. Event will use BOTH halls, but they will be separate: Vendors will be located in the larger (main) hall, Layouts will be located in the back (smaller, carpeted) hall. Each area has its own entry door, and there is no pass-through between halls (you will need to leave and re-enter the other main doors). This is to maintain wider than typical aisles for social distancing.

4. Face masks are required, unless you have a state-recognized medical exception.

5. Restrooms will be constantly sanitized. The concession stand will be closed. It is possible there will be food trucks out-side, as was apparently the case at the gun show.

As of mid to late June, most of our members were still “on board” with participating in this event. However, as the virus sit-uation worsened dramatically over the past three weeks, more of our members changed their minds about participation, and a similar pattern of thinking emerged for the South Hills group too, so we have withdrawn our application to partici-pate in this show. We all hope that things return to normal by the fall so that we can take part in the larger November show, but mark me as pessimistic on this, because every country that gained control over this virus reversed the curve by mobiliz-ing the resources of a competent national government; since we currently lack this, I suspect our slow-motion train-wreck will grind on for several more months, at least into January, if not longer. Let’s hope I am wrong about this!

Keystone Flyer June 2020 | Volume 62, Issue 06a Page 2

In July we have an extra virtual Bring and Brag. The “category” is “2020 Convention Kit buildings” you have built (or are working on) while stuck at home. Since we’ve had such great participation the past few months, we’re looking forward to seeing what everyone is working on. We can't bring any of this stuff in for close inspection, but most of us have access to a digital camera and can share what we've been up to. Bring it on!! Let's see what you've done!!

This is an EXTRA competition, so the points for this July BnB will NOT be counted in the yearly total. Send your PHOTO ENTRY (one picture per entry) to Tom Gaus (email: tom@tomgaus.com) for posting on the Division website, by Saturday, July 18, 2020 at 2:00pm, the entry deadline for consideration. Good Luck!

Bring’n’Brag Arley Mitchell

DIVISION TWO PICNIC: CHANGE OF VENUE

Frank Benders, Superintendent

The Boro of Leetsdale cancelled all events scheduled for Henle Park this summer, and of course this also impacts the Division Two Picnic we scheduled for August 16. Susan found an alternative site — Geohring Park in West Newton, PA, which we have used as a meeting site some years ago — so we have secured that space as our alter-native site for the picnic this year.

Goehring Park has “Portajohns” that are located between the CSX railroad tracks and the lake. From what I can detect on my Google maps, the pavilions are closer to the other side of the lake. I could not see charcoal grills on the maps, but we have decided that, besides practicing social distancing and facial masking, as per state regula-tions, we will make this picnic “BYOFAB” (Bring Your Own Food and Beverages) in accordance with another vi-rus mitigation technique. Susan points out that there is a Subway sandwich shop at the end of the bridge as you enter West Newton, which can ease things for those of us who don’t care to “brown bag it” ourselves.

As is the case with most larger events these days, the virus is writing the script. Pennsylvania recently made wearing masks outdoors mandatory and there is talk of limiting crowds back down to 25 people, which makes my decision about holding our annual picnic more difficult, but the above suggestions emerged from our June executive meeting as our best way to both adhere to the law but also host our picnic safely.

Therefore a final decision will be made closer to the time of the picnic, as I discuss these points with my committee and have Su-san put out a blast at least a few weeks before the event to con-firm whether or not we will be able to host it. At right the map to the venue.